ADINSYDE

Ad Vermeer
nventive System Development

Holy Triangle:
The role of the Systems Engineer

Ad Vermeer
Original presentation: Assembléon, April 2005

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The Role of the Systems Engineer

• Concept of Systems Engineer or Systems
Architect is borrowed from the building
discipline
• In building, the architects role has a long
history
• To understand the role of the systems
engineer, the building tradition provides us
with a useful reference

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Process of House Building (Planning)

• Commissioner (Product Manager) wants a house and has
the money
• Commissioner discusses a wish list (Functions) and the
available budget with an architect
• The architect invents an attractive proposal
(Product/System Requirements) within given constraints
• When commissioner is satisfied with the proposal, a
contractor (project leader) is asked to quote, based on
“bestek” (Work Break Down)
• If the quote is OK, the commissioner can give the
assignment
• The contractor starts planning the actual build based on
availability of resources

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Process of House Building (Realization)

• Contractor builds the house but:
– Architect has “technical supervision” role
– Architect remains responsible for the quality of
the design
– Architect, contractor and commissioner:
• Solve issues as they arise
• Develop additional (detailed) proposals if needed
• Agree on quality, timing, result and budget impact of
changes (QTF$)

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Process of House Building (Aftercare)

• Contractor delivers the house according specs,

concluded with formal acceptance
• If problems arise later:
– Architect is responsible for “design failures”
– Contractor is responsible for “building failures”
– Commissioner regrets “specification failures” (If I
could have done it again, I would……)

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Striking similarities in the metaphor

• Iterations in planning phase
• Initial process is between product manager and
architect
• V-model
• Roles in the Triangle!
• Typical drive of the players:
– Commissioner: Getting a dream house for a little
money
– Architect: Creating an 8th wonder of the world
– Contractor: Getting the job done with the crew in
time
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Deficiencies in the role metaphor

Within a bigger company:
• None of the players are “working for themselves”:
– Product Managers are not going to use machines themselves
– Architects don’t run their own office
– Project Leaders don’t go bankrupt if they slip
• Our occupation is not “making dream machines for little
money that change the world and get finished in time”
• Our occupation is to work for regular wages while playing
roles
• And since we are playing roles, we tend to act a lot less
sharp then the self-employed commissioners, architects
and builders!

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Sharp attitude of SE required

• Taking technical ownership
• Generating alternative solutions
• Executing trade-offs
• Checking solutions with roadmaps
• In control of inter-project impact of choices
• Proactively attack issues within triangle
• Escalating relevant technical events via system
groups hierarchy
• Escalating, as a team, relevant issues to the
Product Team and beyond
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Sharp attitude of all players required

• Product Manager:
– Really represent all stake holders for the end product
– Intensively join in the iteration process of architecting
– Balance value for money
– Vividly imagine experiencing the end product

• Project Leader
– Act like you went bankrupt if the project would slip

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Successful Triangle Starting Conditions

• Power balance
– Formal and informal
• Skills are complementary
– Innovators and gatekeepers
– Experienced and fresh
– Internally and externally focused
– Ambitious and careful
• Availability of all 3 members (resource matrix)
• Assignment available, clear and unambiguous
– Assignment within scope of available roadmap
• Strong concept: Keep teams together (as builders
normally do)

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Bureaucracy

Project
Leader

Systems Product
Engineer Manager

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Working as a Team

Project
Leader

Systems Product
Engineer Manager

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